Concrete form clamp



Jan. 8, 1952 E. T. GABRIELSON CONCRETE FORM CLAMP Filed Oct. 20, 1950 INVENTOR. [1 use 2' finale/4 so Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED-"STATES PATENT OFFICE Elmer T. Gabrielson, Yacolt, Wash.

. Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,168

. 1 This invention relates to forms for pouring'concrete, and more particularly to clamp devices for holding forms in position during the pouring of concrete for foundations, walls, and similar'structures.

A main object of the invention is' to provide novel and improved concrete form clamps which are simple in construction, which are easy to mount in position, and which may be readily detached after the pouring of concrete in the forms associated with the clamps. A further object of the invention is to provide improved concrete form clamps which involve relatively inexpensive parts, which are easy to construct, which may be readily assembled in operative position, which includes means for supporting reinforcing rods and the like in the forms, and which are very durable in construction.- I

Further objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent from the followingdescription and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective'view showing a pair of improved form clamps according to the presentinvention arranged in working position for the securement of wall elements of a concrete form;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1; 4

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional, detail view taken on line 3-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of a carrier bar adapted to be engaged with elements of the clamp devices of Figure 1,

and with a reinforcing bar secured between said clamp devices for the purpose of handling said devices.

Referring to the drawings, H and I2 ge'neral1y designate a pair of mating form clamps adapted to be engaged around respective plate members,

shown at I3 in Figure 2, to retain the plate members in parallel, opposing positions while concrete is poured therebetween. As shown, the clamp member II is generally H-shaped and comprises the spaced, vertical side legs Hi and I5 connected at their intermediate portions by a cross leg I6. The side legs I l and I5 may comprise angle bars, as shown, having the outwardly extending, vertical flanges I! and 8, and the cross bar I6 may also comprise an angle bar having the horizontal flange I9 and the depending flange 2B. The vertical legs I4 and I5 have the opposing parallel flanges shown at 2| and 22. The clamp mem- 3 Claims. (Cl. 25131)- 2 7 a ber I2 is also I-l-shaped and has the sidelegs 23 and 24 and the crossbar 25. The sidelegs'23 and 24 have the respective opposing parallel flanges 26 and 2'! and the outwardly extending vertical flanges 28 and 28. The crossbar l5' has a horizontal flange 33 and an outer depending, vertical flange 3 I.

The-upper and lower end portions of the flanges 23 and 29 have rigidl secured thereto .theaop posing, generally S-shaped clip members 32-a'nd 33, the fore portions of'said clip members being adapted to slidablyreceive the flanges I'I-and 18 of the clamp member I l, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and the rear portions of said clip members being adapted to be engaged around vertical reinforcingstud'meinbers 34 and 35, as shown. Wing screws 36 and 31 are provided on the rear portions of the clips 32 and 33 for locking the :clips to the studs 3 and 35. Rigidly secured to the intermediate portions of the flanges 23 and 29 are the opposing U-shaped clips 38 adapted to slidably receive the flanges I! and I8, the forward portions of said clips being provided with wing screws 46 which are engageable with the flanges I1 and It to rigidly lock the frame members I I and I2 together.

The'opposingflanges 22, 2'! and 2|, 26 are formed with openings 4| through which suitable fastening members may be passed to secure the flanges to the respective parallel plate members I3 during the construction of the concrete'forms. The intermediate portions of the flanges I9- and 3B of the crossbars of the H-shaped members are notched at 42, 42, as shown, to receive therebetween a reinforcing bar 43, said reinforcing bar being clampingly held in the notches 42, 42, whereby it is supported in a proper position for embedment in the concrete poured intothe forms.

Designated at 45 is a first shaft element rigidly secured to the top portion of the flange 2|, as by a bolt 44. Shaft element 45 extendsparallel to the crossbar I6. Designated at 46 is another shaft element rotatably secured to the top portion of the flange 22 in axial alignment with the shaft element 45, the end of shaft element 46 being formed with an axialbore 4! which receives an axial pin element 48 provided on theshaft memberl45. Shaft element 46 is formed with a squared portion 49 'which may be engaged by a suitable wrench to rotate said shaft portion 46. The abutting ends of the respective shaft members 45 and 46 are formed with the interengaging cam surfaces 49} said cam surfaces being arranged so that the upper portions of the flanges 22 and 2| will be spread apart slightly when shaft section 46 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, relative to the other shaft section 45. As shown in Figure 4, the cam elements 45 are substantially flat at their high points, whereby the shaft section 45 will remain in its rotated position when said shaft section 46 has been rotated to engage the high points on its cam elements with the high points on the cam elements of the shaft section 45. The end of the shaft section 46 is provided with a longitudinally extending stop pin 50 which is engageable with a radial stop pin on the shaft section 45 to limit rotation of shaft section 46 with respect to shaft section 45 to the position wherein the flattened high points of their cam elements are in mutual engagement.

When the clamp devices are, set up in the manner shown in Figure 1, and the side walls l3 of the forms are secured to the opposing surfaces of the flanges 2'2, 21 and 2!, 26, the shaft section 45 may be rotated to spread apart the upper portions of the flanges 2| and 22, and thereby cause the lower portions of said flanges to be rotated inwardly to a slight degree toward each other. After the concrete has been cast in the forms, and it is desired to remove the clamp devices, the shaft member 45 is rotated relative to the shaft member 45 to allow the upper portions of ,the flanges 21 and 22 to return to their normal spacing, thereby relieving the pressure on the lower portions of the flanges 2| and 22, whereby the clamp device becomes loosened relative to the cast concrete. The clamp member [2 is similarly provided at its top portion with shaft sections 46 and 45 arranged in the same manner as on the clamp member II and being adapted to function simrilarly to loosen the clamp device for removal after the concrete has been poured into the form.

When the clamp devices have been assembled in the manner shown in Figure 1, with the reinforcing bar 43 clamped therebetween, they may be conveniently handled by the use of a lever member 52, shown in detail in Figure 5. As shown, the lever 52 comprises a main bar 53 having the opposed bar elements 54, 54 secured to its ends. Pivotcd at 55 between the bar elements 54, 54 is a hook member 55 which is connected by a spring 51 to the bar 53, biasing the hook member 55 upwardly, as viewed in Figure 5. Pivoted between the bar members 54, 54 at 58 is a hooked bar 59 which extends below the hook member 55. In using the handling lever, the. hook bar 59 is engaged beneath one of the shaft sections 45, as shown in Figure 1, and the hook member 56 is engaged around the reinforcing rod 43, whereby the entire assembly of clamping members and reinforcing rod may be handled as a unit and may be positioned as required over the wall plates (3 of the concrete form.

After the concrete has been poured, the respective clamp members II and I2 may be removed by releasing the respective wing screws 36, 31 and 40, rotating the shaft sections 45 to allow the upper portions of the clamp members to spring back towards each other, whereby the lower portions thereof are loosened, and then lifting the respective clamp members H and I2 upwardly out of engagement with the form walls I3. The reinforcing studs 34, 34 are, of course,

removed prior to the removal of the clamp 'members I I and I2.

While a specific embodiment of an improved concrete form clamp structure has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A concrete form clamp device of the character described comprising a generally H-shaped frame having a pair of spaced side legs and a crossbar connecting the intermediate portions of said side legs, the lower portions of said side legs being adapted to be secured to respective parallel plate members defining the walls of a concrete form, a first shaft element rigidly secured to the top portion of one of said side legs and extending parallel to said crossbar, a second shaft element rotatably secured to the top portion of the other side leg coaxially with and engaging the first shaft element, and interengaging cam means on the abutting end portions of said shaft elements arranged to vary the spacing between the top ends of the side legs responsive to rotation of said second shaft element.

2. A concrete form clamp device of the character described comprising a pair of opposing H- shaped frame members, each frame member having a pair of spaced vertical side legs and a horizontal crossbar connecting the intermediate portions of said legs, and means slidably connecting said frame members for movement parallel to each other, the lower portions of the side legs of the frame members being adapted to be secured to respective parallel plate members defining the walls of a concrete form, the opposing edges of the crossbars of said frame members being notched at their intermediate portions, whereby a vertical reinforcing bar may be received in the notches and may be clamped be tween said crossbars.

3. A concrete form clamp device of the character described comprising a pair of opposing H- shaped frame members, each frame member having a pair of spaced vertical side legs and a horizontal crossbar connecting the intermediate portions of said legs, interengaging means on the side legs of the frame members slidably connecting said frame members for vertical movement parallel to each other, the lower portions of the side legs of the frame members being adapted to bev secured to respective parallel plate members defining the walls of a concrete form, the opposing edges of the crossbars of said frame members being notched at their intermediate portions, whereby a'vertical reinforcing bar may be received in the notches and may be clamped between said crossbars, each frame member having a first shaft element rigidly secured to the top portion of one of its side legs and extending parallel to its crossbar and a second shaft element rotatably secured to the top portion of its other side leg coaxially with and engaging the first shaft element, and interengaging cam means on the abutting end portions of said shaft elements arranged to vary the spacing between the top portions of the side legs responsive to rotation of the second shaft element.

ELMER T. GABRIELSON.

No references cited. 

